Exclusive interview with TLC’s Tionne “T-BOZ” Watkins

Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins, one-third of the best-selling American girl group of all time, is on a mission. “I’m actually in my car in LA,” she says, “on my way to physical therapy so I can get ready for this tour!”

Two years after Watkins and Rozonda “Chilli” Thomas (who continued as TLC after the death of original member Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes in 2002) played their first-ever shows in Australia to sell-out crowds, they are returning in November… and adding three inaugural dates in New Zealand to the schedule. “Oh my God, I had so much fun,” she recalls of the 2014 jaunt. “The love we got was overwhelming. And I was like, hell, why haven’t we come over here any sooner? And for some reason, New Zealand got marked off. So we owed them. And I’m happy to come back. Hey, if they want me? I’ll come.”

Watkins tells WHO what fans can expect this go-round, shares an update on TLC’s upcoming album and reminisces about her iconic, ‘90s-defining haircut.

On new TLC music

“We are in the mixing stage: yeah, turn that up. Turn that down. I don’t like that vocal. Let’s do it over! I’m happy but I’m nervous. It’s a lot of pressure. Everybody’s like, ‘It had better be good! You made us wait all this time.’ And I’m like, uh … okay. But now, hey. You don’t gotta be rough on a sister. Sister’s trying, okay?” Among the raft of songs Watkins and Thomas are sorting through is “Posh Life,” which Lady Gaga originally wrote for herself. Watkins says she is still unsure if it will make the final cut for this album, but insists “it was an honour and a privilege to be involved with her on any level. I brought my daughter to meet her, and I came in the room, I was so floored. Because she started crying. And I was like, ‘What you cryin’ for, girl?’ She told me she was a fan. I didn’t expect Lady Gaga to be crying over me.”

On the upcoming tour

Watkins says the band will continue to honour Lopes in some way during the show. “We always try to incorporate her, because we built a history together and she lives through us. It’s the new normal, and we make the best of it. We do ‘Ain’t 2 Proud 2 Beg’ and her rap is still in there. ‘Waterfalls’ comes at the end of the show, and before we start we play a video.” Here she breaks into a an imitation of Lopes’ famously squeaky voice: “’I love Waterfalls because you know, Tionne’s voice is scratchy and…’” Told her intonation is spot-on, she laughs: “There’s actually a cartoon coming out soon—you’ll hear all about it. I’m playing a troll and Ja Rule is playing my brother. I love to imitate people.”

On the infamous T-Boz hairstyle

“I would say that was my best one ever. But when we first did the Waterfalls video, people were like, what kind of hairstyle is this? What do you mean two sets of sideburns? Uh … I came from doing hair in a hair salon, honey. I knew what I was talking about. Thank God everybody liked it. Then I changed my hair for the Red Light Special video and they were like, what did you do? You were a superstar with that hair! So then I got in trouble for changing it. I just wanted to say, shut the hell up, everybody. Because you weren’t listening to me when I originally said that this hairstyle was the jam.”

On TLC’s (safe) sex-positive legacy

The trio, who broke big in 1991 when the AIDS crisis was at its peak, purposely adhered condoms to their outfits in an effort to promote safe sex and referenced HIV in Waterfalls. But songs like Red Light Special, Unpretty and No Scrubs were anthems of self-empowerment, body positivity and a healthy attitude toward sex. As for the current crop of pop stars? Says Watkins: “It’s more about being naked today, honey. It’s more about how much you can take off. I don’t knock anybody that wants to do that. But there is still a group of girls—prissy tomboys—who want to be accepted as beautiful and sexy with their clothes on. They’re living proof you can do that and still sell some albums.”

On her next big move

Watkins reckons the next TLC album is their final one. “I think it’s time to wrap this part up,” she says, but does not rule out retiring from the stage. “It’s a blessing to have timeless music because you can do things like residencies, and still get paid for all the work you put in beforehand. That’s an awesome job.” Watkins is also set to release A Sick Life, a memoir covering off her career and lifelong battle with sickle-cell anemia in August 2017. “Yes, I was born with a non-curable disease. Yes, I travelled the world and worked with Michael Jackson. Yes, the FBI tried to crash into my house looking for me. I’ve had a sick life. If you didn’t know me before, you’ll know me after reading this book.”